The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-11-09
Death of Jenny Lind.

UehJn OF Jenny Linu.
Jenny Lind mime. Goldschmidt) the
celebrated Swedish songstress, died in Lon
don November ID, after an illness OF sew
eral weeks of apoplexy, aged sixty-six years.
She was born in Stockholm in 1921, and was
the daughter of teacher Of languages in
humble circumstances At three years of
age she could sing correctly any piece she
had once heard, and at nine she was placed
by the advice of Nine. Lundberg, cele-
brated actress at Stockholm, under Croelus
a famous teacher Of music. She acted re-
peatedly in chldren's parts on the Stock
holm stage until her twelfth year, when her
upper notes lost their sweetness. For four
years she studied music theoretically when
she recovered her voice. Having, by a
series of concerts in the principal towns of
Norway and Sweden, obtained the means of
going to Paris, she studied, not without some
previous encouragement, under Gar ella.
She then appeared in Dresden, Berlin,
Frankfort, Vienna and London, and met
with an unparalleled series Of triumphs in
operate singing. She then returned to
Stockholm, where her country people re-
ceived her with an enthusiasm rarely shown
toward any great person. For the first time
in Sweden tickets were sold at auction at
unparalleled prices. Then she revisited
England, and in 1850 came to America, under
the management of p. T. Barnum, who
made contract with her for one hundred
thirty concerts. Mr.. Barnum, as often said,
advertised her like circus, and it may be
added that he also made money like a circus.
He has recently told how he worked up the
great sensation over the purchase of the first
ticket to her opening concert at Castle Gar
den (Which was then theater) by getting
two merchants to bid against each other at
the auction, until Genin, the halter, got it for
| S22j and laid the foundation of a fortune by
! it. Thousands were at the dock to greet
| her at her landing crowds blockaded
Broadway before the Irving House, where
she stopped; a torchlight procession of three
| hundred hremen escorted a band of two
| hundred musicians who serenaded her on
| her first night in the city. The auction plan
| was followed in other cities, and as high as
| 5000 was paid more than once for the first
! ticket On her tour she sang in all the
principal cities of the United States and in
! Havana, giving ninety-tive concerts under
! Mr.. Barnums management and receiving
over S20S,0 as her share of which she re-
| turned 500 when she terminated her
contract with him. The total receipts were
over S7l2,00O. Her leaving Barnum has
! been imputed to her distaste for his methods
! of advertising, but she always remained
| friendly to him, and when he was at one
time in financial trouble she offered him
! help. After closing this engagement she
gave concerts on her own account and with
the same experience of popular favor. In
1857 she married Otto Goldschmidt, pianist
of note, who was several years younger than
she and worthy man. Upon her return
to Europe in 1852, with Herr Goldschmidt,
she lived quietly in Dresden number of
years, during which time she visited Stock
holm repeatedly and spent over 100000 in
| founding schools and endowing charitable
| institutions. Between 1860 and 1864 Nine
Goldschmidt sang in concert upon one or
two occasions, but since then has not been
heard in public. p. I. Barnum has given a
! New York Tribune reporter some interest
ing "reminiscences of Jenny Lind. Said the
| veteran Snowman: Jenny Lind's natural
impulses were most noble and good. never
met person so susceptible to the wants,
needs or sufferings of others. / could at
any time make her tears flow by relating
some case of want, and her dollars would
flow freely with her tears. She could not
bear the thought of passing by on the other
side when she could relieve the sorrow of
any being, however humble" Mr.. Barnum
told touching story of an incident that oc-
CURED when Jenny was singing in Boston.
A poor working-girl," he said, " thrust
SO into the hand of the ticket-seller at the
Boston Temple for back seat at Jenny's
concert On receiving the ticket she said:
There goes my wages for one week, but
must hear that good angel sing Jenny's
secretary, her cousin, Max Hjortzberg,
heard the remark and Immediately went to
the green-room and laughingly told it to
Jenny. / shall never forget how she jumped
to her feet and exclaimed: Oh, this must
not be! Poor girl, she shall not lose her
money 1t is wicked. Max, take this
money handing him a $50 gold piece
search ont that dear creature and put it in
her hands, with my love. God bless her.!
Cousin Max found the girl, gave her the
money and message and witnessed a Hood
of grateful tears from the working-girl's
eyes. If she is alive to-day she will remem-
Der it. She had two children, the elder
son. The daughter has a voice which Sir
julius Benedict told me he believed, If Gull
tivated, would prove equal to her mothers.
But he added, her parents are rich and
have no ambition to have her attain musical
renown, which would involve such arduous
study and practice Her share of profits
in our musical campaign in 1850 and 1851
was sos, $500. She sang in ninety-three
concerts. She was worth over S10O0,000
when she left the United States in 1851 and
this sum has been increased by occasional
concerts in Great Britain and by the JUDI
cious investments of her husband"